Story: Somebody Else's Page
Chapter: Oh Please Just Last
Description: Rory/Logan. Slightly AU. What if Logan managed to take a little less time off during his college career and made it through without overlapping Rory's years at Yale? She's about to start her first internship at the Stamford Gazette, just as it's being taken over by the Huntzbergers.
Disclaimer: I write fan fiction. I own none of these characters. None of this happened on the show, which is the whole point of fan fiction. You get the idea.
Rory pulled out her cell phone and stared at the message informing her of the astronomical rate for making a call from out of the country. Though she was an adult mostly living on her own at school, the idea of not letting her mother know she was no longer in the country she was supposed to be visiting didn't sit well with her. Her head was still spinning from her whirlwind change of plan, but she couldn't put off the call.
"Tally ho! How's jolly old England?"
Rory cringed at the implication and all it entailed. "It was lovely."
"Was? Are you home? Did things not go well?" Lorelai asked, shifting into overdrive with motherly concern.
"No, things are fine. We just decided since we were in Europe that we should see more of it."
"Europe is kind of big."
"Well, we're not trying to see all of it. Just more of it."
"Which part of it are you in now?"
"Paris."
"You're in Paris with Logan?"
"That is correct."
"Okay. But I thought he had tons of meetings in London."
"He did. It's kind of a long story."
Lorelai scoffed. "If he bailed, it's a pretty short story. Are you sure you know what you're doing with this guy?"
Rory took in a long breath. "Yes, he's bailing, but he's making a choice that is more complex than it seems."
"Quitting is a choice, but you're not a quitter. Why would you want to be with one?"
"We can have this conversation, but can we do it after I get back and it's not costing me a million Euros a minute?"
"So you are coming back?"
"Of course I'm coming back. I am not going to blow off school or any of my other responsibilities for anything."
"Good. Well, be careful and if you need airfare home, don't hesitate to call your dad."
"Got it, Mom," she added in a wry manner. "I'll call you when I get back Sunday."
She ended the call, grateful that she wouldn't have to see the charge for the call until her bill came at the end of the month. For all she knew by then Logan could have changed his mind and moved to London or Boston or God knows where. She wished she had a better handle on what Logan might do, but what he was in the process of doing seemed rash and unwise, no matter how long he claimed to have been considering the option. While she agreed to seek out adventure and blow off steam with him, she felt it her duty to try to make sure he was coming to grips with the reality of his situation.
Logan slipped out onto the balcony of their modest suite and slid an arm around her waist. He breathed in her scent as he rested his chin on her shoulder. She returned the gesture of affection with her free hand by wrapping it around his torso, though anxiety welled in her as she glanced at her phone and tugged at her lower lip with her teeth.
"Did you make your call?" he asked.
She nodded. "Are you sure you don't need to call anyone? What if we get in an accident?"
He gently brushed back some hair behind her ear. "Are you really worried about my emergency contact information right now?"
"It's always good to be prepared," she reasoned.
"I'm wearing clean underwear, so my mother won't be embarrassed if she's notified of my untimely demise," he teased.
She swatted at him, her weak attack colliding with his chest and letting her hand rest there. "I'm serious. I know you spoke with Honor, but shouldn't you call your parents?"
His brows furrowed as he studied her face. "I'm a grown man."
"Who is running away from his life at the moment," she protested.
He shook his head and pulled back from her. "I thought you understood."
"I'm trying," she assured him, with a tinge of desperation to her voice. "It's just, you made a commitment to your father," she led.
"No, my father forced a commitment on me," he corrected. "I've told you how controlling he is. I know you think of him as some kind of professional idol, but being a great businessman doesn't make him a good person."
"I'm not arguing your father's case. I just want to make sure you aren't going to regret what you're doing."
"My only regret is not doing this sooner. Trust me, this isn't some hasty decision. I never wanted any of this."
Her lungs deflated as she saw how earnest he was in his proclamation. "I believe you. I guess I just have trouble understanding the feeling."
"Your parents never pushed you to do anything you didn't want to do?"
"Not hardly. I mean, my mom was supportive of my interests, obsessively so, but all she ever really wanted me to do was go to college. As for my dad, well, when he was around at all, he wasn't ever caught up on our lives, let alone there long enough to try to get me to do anything specific."
"I know it sounds selfish and petty and ungrateful. And maybe it is. But I can't keep doing things his way anymore."
"It's not selfish," she soothed him and put both her arms around him this time. "And just because I don't relate with what you're going through doesn't mean I'm not supportive."
"If you're not into this, we can head back. I'm sure you have a ton of work to do, and I have the whole task of figuring out my entire future, so," he said, his words soaked in defeat.
"Are you kidding? Logan, we're in Paris. Yes, this is impetuous and crazy, but we have four more days to hop around Europe. We are not going home early. "
"You're sure?"
She stared into his eyes, allowing all the growing emotion she was feeling for him to shine through her blue irises. "I'm here, aren't I? I came all this way in the first place to be with you. I don't know what you're going to do after this, and I don't know what any of it means for us, but we're here now. That's what's important, right now."
He kissed her, in lieu of answering, and derailed her thoughts and her breath. The exterior wall met her back as he advanced her back, the cool stone seeping through the back of her shirt. His hands were warm at her waist, and his mouth searing on hers. She was modest enough not to want to shed articles of clothing outside, but they were high enough over the city that it was unlikely anyone could see their intimacies at all. She was beyond caught up in the moment, having given her permission to be on this wild ride he was spearheading. He might end up conquering the world, but she was going to be the first to succumb to his new-found direction.
-X-
"You're awake, perfect. The waiter will be up soon, and I don't want to insult him with the tip. I have Euros and I got change back in Crowns from the taxi last night," Logan said as he leaned to kiss her as she struggled to achieve full wakefulness through his chattiness. "Do you speak any Czech?"
"What's going on?" she asked through a wide yawn that she softened by holding the back of her hand to her mouth.
He smiled at her, with her bleary eyes and bedhead. "I ordered breakfast. In bed."
"What time is it?"
"Local time is about half past eight."
"Oh, the jet lag," she said with a smaller yawn.
"Buck up. It's our last full day, and your favorite city."
She smiled wistfully. "It's a great city. But I don't speak Czech. I'm good with Spanish, and passable in French, but I never did get to take any of the Slavic languages. I can, however, ask to for directions to the bathroom in Italian."
"Isn't Italian similar to Spanish?"
"Sí," she replied with a smile.
"Maybe next time we should go to Barcelona and Rome."
"I've been to both. How about Bangkok and Seoul?" she countered, caught up in the zest of traveling.
"Done," he said, agreeing so easily that it took her a minute for the meaning of their conversation to sink in.
"Wait. When do you want to take another trip?"
He shrugged. "As soon as possible. You have to finish the school year, so how's this summer?"
"You want to make travel plans together for months down the line?"
"Rory," he said, reaching out to squeeze her knee lightly with his open palm. His brown eyes radiated warmth and affection, and she could feel her heart skip a beat inside her chest. She recognized the moment for what it was, and was struck utterly speechless for finding herself in the situation given all the obstacles in their way.
A loud knock interrupted their moment, however, evoking a pause that would result in either a rain check or a more cowardly opportunity to attempt to downplay it in hindsight. His expression turned pensive. "I should get that. It'll be the food."
She nodded silently, not brave enough to encourage him to speak his mind while their food got cold. As he said, she had more school left, and a whole life to consider that had never included any man, let alone one as free-spirited as him. She held tight to the bed sheets that were her only covering and sank back down to conceal herself further as he turned to deal with a transaction riddled with language and money barriers to obtain sustenance.
"Honor?"
She heard the shock in his voice, though she screwed her eyes shut in her own horror given her state of undress in the bed she'd shared with their guest's sibling.
"You're so predictable. I mean, okay, I didn't immediately guess Prague, though thankfully I've got years under my belt pretending to be Mom on the phone, so the credit card company was all too happy to hunt you down via your transactions. By the way, when did you start drinking so much coffee?"
"Can I meet you across the street? There's a little café, and we can get coffee there," he said, trying to keep his sister from totally intruding on their privacy.
"Hi, Rory," Honor said, poking her head around her brother. "Do you need a minute? I can wait in the hall if you need to put something on," she offered sweetly.
Rory's eyes met Logan's in a panic of blame. "Give us five minutes," Logan told his sister, shutting her out in the hall with practiced ease. "I am so sorry," he began immediately.
"What is she doing here? Is she alone? Are your parents in the lobby?" she ranted as each new worry exploded in her mind.
"If Dad were after me, no way he wouldn't have barged in first," he said with complete assuredness, though she could see he was shaken by the sudden intrusion.
"What does she want? I thought you talked to her," she said, now wrapped up in the top sheet and scavenging the floor for her last-used clothes. "Where is my bra?"
He cleared his throat and watched her put a hand under the bed and come out with a shoe. "Were you wearing a bra?"
She shot a glare his way, her only pause in her hasty attempt to pull her pants up. "Logan, why is your sister in the hallway?"
"I don't know, okay? Probably to try to get me to reconsider, but I've already told her my decision is made. She doesn't like drama when it affects her life."
"Did she really track you down by impersonating your mother and reviewing your credit transactions?"
"That would be one of the least invasive methods my family has ever used," he replied tersely. Her recoiling prompted him to soften his actions. He crossed to her and grabbed her hand. "It's just Honor. You like Honor. She just doesn't want me to be disowned."
"You won't be disowned," she said softly, eyeing him hesitantly.
He shrugged one shoulder. "I might be. But I'm okay with that."
"How can you be?" she asked, her brow furrowed and her mind perplexed. "I mean, I know things have never been easy for you and your dad, but you can't just end it all that easily."
"I know what I'm doing," he said. "I think your bra is in the bathroom."
She nodded and let go of his hand, disappearing into the bathroom and closing the door with a soft click. He let out a heavy sigh and grabbed the room's main door handle and opened it reluctantly.
Honor was leaning against the opposite wall in the hallway, examining her cell phone display. Her eyes flickered with mixed interest at her brother, but made no quick move to join him. "Everyone all dressed now?"
"Honor, why are you here? Did you talk to Dad?"
"No. Have you?"
"No, I told you, I'm going to have it out with him when we get back."
"We?"
"Rory and I," he said. "What, what is that look? You can't think I'd strand her in Prague."
"No, I don't think you'd strand her. But I don't think you're thinking this all through. This is going to change everything, Logan."
"I know."
"No, you know what it will change for you. That's who you're thinking about, yourself. But you haven't considered what this will do to everyone else."
"You mean you."
"No, I mean me, Mom, Dad, Grandfather, the whole future of the company. And what about Rory?"
"What?"
Honor raised an eyebrow at him. "He owns the newspaper she's interning at, and probably about twenty she'd kill to work for once she graduates."
"So?"
"So what do you think she's going to choose, the guy that gets her blackballed from her dream job or a successful career?"
"That's not," he began, but Honor held up a well-tanned hand to silence him.
"But it is. Things shouldn't have to be certain ways, but that is how they are and you know it. Just because you want to change, that doesn't mean the whole world around you is going to change at all. I just want you to really think about all this before you throw everything away. Think about what's really important in your life. You haven't done anything unforgiveable yet. Dad will forgive one last blow-off before you settle down and fly right. Just promise me that you'll look past your own nose on this one. Please?" she asked, her final plea fraught with sincerity.
He let out a shaky breath and nodded. "Yeah, okay."
Her eyes brightened. "Really?"
He rolled his eyes. "Yes. I can't promise a different outcome, but you've made your point."
She clapped her hands together. "I'm so relieved. You'll make the right choice."
"Do you want to come in? We're about to have breakfast."
"I don't want to interrupt. I mean, it's your last day. You should enjoy it. Tell Rory I'm sorry for the rude awakening. I'll take her shopping when we all get back."
"Oh, God," he cringed.
Honor leaned forward to kiss his cheek quickly. "I'm off. Be good. Don't get arrested. I hate posting bail in foreign countries."
He smiled at the memories her warning brought to mind and waved her off, waiting for her to enter the elevator before returning to their room.
"Where's Honor?" Rory asked, having finally gotten properly dressed and emerged with freshly brushed hair and teeth.
"She had to go."
"She came all the way to Prague to talk to you for five minutes?"
"She deemed it necessary."
"Your family is …," she began reaching for the right word, though it didn't pop out of the ether at her.
"I know. And I promise to spend the day making it up to you."
She shook her head and stepped in close to him. Her arms wound easily around his shoulders and she offered him a coy smile. "You don't owe me anything. I'm right where I want to be."
He kissed her, taking his time in redistributing her clothes back in their haphazardly strewn places where she'd found them and landing them right back under the covers while they waited for their breakfast to arrive to share in bed.
-X-
Her head was resting on his shoulder, her eyelids drooping more than halfway closed. He had earphones in, and the soft bass vibration was oddly soothing to her. She stirred with a sudden start, leaning away from him and digging into her bag for a notepad and pen.
He removed one ear bud and read over her shoulder. "You're on vacation still," he reminded her, though they were at the airport waiting to board their flight back to Hartford.
"For a few more hours. I've never been this far away from the paper for this long before. Bill's in charge. Bill can't blow his nose without a proper support system," she informed him.
"Then why did you leave him in charge?" he asked with amusement.
"No one else was going to be around campus as long during break!" she defended her choice. "And I'm usually able to check in more. I was going to wait until Monday morning to go into the newsroom and go over the state of things, but I think I'll have to head straight over from the airport," she said, her foot tapping with impatience. Her mind was already half-dedicated to life after returning to the States, and he was happy to stay in the moment. The only problem was that their moments were fleeting.
"They're lucky to have you. You really live and breathe journalism."
"It's my first love," she mused. "I know I go overboard sometimes, but seriously, in this case, Bill is like an out-of-control toddler on Pixie Sticks."
He smiled at her comparison and lightly cleared his throat. "It's good to have something you love like that."
She glanced up at him, with an anxious grimace. "Sorry. Do you know what you want to do after this? Or are you just focusing on having to talk to your father?"
"I have some ideas. I've made some contacts over the years that I'll get in touch with. As for my dad, well, I've been planning that speech since I was in high school."
"That's a long time."
"It is. This whole thing has been a long time coming. But even still, there are a few things that I didn't anticipate being factors, which give me pause."
She stared at him questioningly. "You're having second thoughts?"
"I wasn't, but Honor made a few points this morning."
"So she did have an agenda," she encouraged him to continue.
He groaned and shifted toward her, ripping the other ear bud from his head and dropping his music player into his open bag at his feet. "I need to talk to you about something. I'm just not sure how to say it," he admitted.
She put up a hand as her whole body stiffened. "It's okay. You don't have to. I think I know what it is."
He stared at her with a mix of concern and trepidation. "You do?"
"Yes, Logan, of course. You were going to say that while we were drawn together at the Stamford paper, and we took this week to see where it might lead, that now you're going to be making a lot of changes in your life and you need space to do that."
"What? No. I mean, yes, things are going to change, and it will take time to figure it all out, but I'm not ending this. Do you want to end this?"
"No! But my life isn't as complicated at yours. And let me tell you, my life is hectic enough at times. I don't envy you, what you're about to do."
He hesitated again. "Honor wanted me to remember that my actions don't just affect me."
"That's true. Your family will be upset," Rory agreed.
"She pointed out that it would affect you, too. That you'd have to make a choice, more than likely."
"A choice?"
Logan nodded. "If things came down to it, if my father was feeling vindictive, he could make it difficult for you to get … that you would have to decide between me and your career."
She averted her eyes. "Oh."
He added quickly, but not with enthusiasm. "And I know where I'd fall in that equation."
"But… we… Logan. That's…," she stammered as the roll tide of emotions she'd accumulated in the last weeks flooded through her.
"It's okay. I understand. Anyway, I told Honor, and I wanted you to know before we got back and real life hit us full force that I am taking that into consideration. This week was amazing. Being with you has been incredible. And I don't want to stop seeing you, but I will understand if that's a decision that you end up making."
"But it isn't my decision," she urged.
"I won't ask you to choose. I know that's what you want. But it's something I have to take into consideration, the position I'd put you in on my account."
"You don't have to do anything for me, not if you don't want to."
He linked his hand through hers and squeezed their fingers together. "But I want to. I told you, I don't want to end things with you. I can't promise that being with me will make your life easier, especially given what's happened so far. I just thought you should be aware of what's ahead, for when we get back. Other than the errant state of your newsroom."
"Are you planning to stay around then?" she asked. "These leads, they're on the East Coast?"
"For the most part," he agreed. "It feels early to make promises to you."
His words stung, though she did her best to pretend they didn't. "I know that."
He groaned and put an arm around her shoulders, pulling them into a closer circle of conference, right there at the airport gate. "It's not because I don't want to, but I don't want to make promises to you now and not be able to keep them. I don't want to do that to you."
"I never asked you for that. I was fine letting this be what it was."
"You're really okay with this being over soon?" he asked, not covering the sting of her words well either.
"Intellectually, I'd like to think I'm prepared. I mean, on paper, it doesn't make sense, our trying to make it work. You're at one stage of your life, and I'm at another. Forget all the other stuff," she said.
"When I forget all the other stuff, I just want to find a way to be with you," he said in earnest.
She couldn't help but smile, though she tried to make light of the moment. "Being with me doesn't pay all that well."
"Rory," he said her name softly but firmly, trying to redirect her sincerity.
"But you're right, we can't sit here while we're on a high from this last week, pretending that nothing will change when we get home. And while I can prepare my head for what's likely to happen, my heart's another matter."
He nodded solemnly. "Fair enough."
She let out a long held breath. "So you aren't definitely going to break ties with your father?"
"I'm definitely going to talk to him, man to man. I have more considerations now than I had before. No matter what, I'm glad we had this week."
"We'll always have London, Paris, Brussels, and Prague," she mused, altering the famous line.
"There's still more places I want to take you. I was serious about that offer."
"That sounds like a promise," she warned.
He kissed her gently, taking his time as he molded his lips to hers before he pulled back with equal measure. "Consider it an open invitation, no matter what happens."
She nodded, moved by the offer. "Okay."
"I should probably let you get back to stressing over the state of the Yale Daily News."
"I guess it's probably salvageable, as long as Bill hasn't literally burned the place down," she relented.
"I'm not in a hurry to go anywhere, if you think you'll need the help."
Her eyes widened. "Really?"
"Why are you so shocked? I do know something about getting a paper to print."
She shook her head quickly. "No, I know. But isn't a college publication sort of beneath you?"
"Hardly. It's my old stomping ground. Besides, it's important to you. I don't want you killing yourself because I talked you into coming with me. I'm happy to help out."
"I'll keep that in mind," she said with a pleased grin as they both lapsed into contented quiet and focused on their pre-flight preparedness, her making more notes and him reading a book with his music turned back up in his ears.
-X-
Once baggage claim was in sight as they walked through Bradley International, Logan stopped and put his hand on Rory's elbow. She turned at the abruptness of his actions. "What's wrong?"
He shook his head, but his expression was tight. "I just saw the next five minutes in my head. We go over there, we grab our bags, we make awkward conversation about how we're going in opposite directions, and I put you in a cab before I get one for myself. Before I know it, I'm back at my place, wishing I'd at least argued with you about my taking you home."
She laughed at him, the likes of which erupted in her throat and barely made a sound from her mouth. "You have to go home sometime."
"I realize that."
"And I really am heading straight to the newsroom. Your evening will be full of watching me make drastic edits and pulling my hair out while I rearrange the layout."
"I can rearrange your layout. It's one of my specialties," he said suggestively.
"I'm not having sex with you in my newsroom," she said.
"I wasn't thinking about that," he said, but decided full disclosure was in order and continued, "but I am now."
She pushed his shoulder away playfully, laughing as she glanced over his shoulder toward their next destination. She paled and grabbed at his jacket instead. "Logan."
"Did you knees just weaken?" he asked, still in playful mode. "Or are you mocking me?"
"No. It's your dad."
"He's why I can't come with you?" he asked with knowing irritation.
"No. Well, yes. He's here. At baggage claim. Looking pissed."
"Is he looking at us?"
"He's looking at his phone."
"I'll replace everything in your bag if you come with me right now," he offered.
She sighed and stared evenly into his eyes. "You can't duck out on him."
"He shouldn't shanghai me," he defended himself.
"Fine, you're both badly behaved. At least you don't have to wonder where you get it from. Now go over there and talk to him."
"What about you?"
"He's not my father!"
"You're just going to abandon your bag and me?"
She bit her lip and looked back at the imposing figure that awaited them. "Fine. I'll go over there with you. But you owe me."
"I was just thinking the same thing," he said as they began the arduous trek across the large space. He took hold of her hand on their walk over. The move surprised her, as natural as it felt, that he'd let his father see that he was attached to her in any way.
"Logan, Rory," Mitchum said casually as they stopped before him. "How was your flight?"
"It was long," Logan clipped his words. Rory kept quiet as the tension between the men grew.
"Perhaps if you hadn't travelled so much further than you'd planned," Mitchum suggested.
"If you're here to yell at me, let Rory leave and we'll go somewhere else," Logan said in a tired tone.
"I'm here to collect you both," Mitchum stated.
Rory snuck a confused look Logan's way. "She had nothing to do with what happened in London. That was all me," Logan said.
"I have no doubt about that," Mitchum commented.
"I have a lot of work to do tonight," Rory interjected.
"You have a strong work ethic," Mitchum praised her. "It's a quality that will take you far."
"She doesn't need career advice from you," Logan cut in.
"Whether or not she needs it, it's up to her to decide if she wants it," Mitchum corrected his son.
"I should look for my bag," Rory said, not enjoying her place in the middle of their volley.
"No need. I have someone gathering both of your bags. The car's out this way."
"I really appreciate the offer, but I'm just going to take a bus, it's not far," Rory excused herself.
Logan turned to her. "The bus again? What do you have against cabs? The safety? The privacy?"
Mitchum snickered at his son's visceral reaction. "It's my fault, I never taught him a need to share," he informed her.
"Honestly, you two have a lot to discuss, and I don't need taking care of."
"As you wish," Mitchum told her.
Logan turned back to his father. "Did Honor tell you where we were?"
"Your sister left word that she had been unavoidably detained, and it coincided with a ping from the credit card company, with a lot of activity in Prague. I assumed it was just my children enjoying themselves and approved the charges. You're welcome, by the way."
Rory redirected her gaze to the floor, whereas he never broke eye contact with his father. "You came to get my gratitude?"
"No, your attention. Now that I have it, let's go. The car is waiting, and Rory has things to do. As do I. Shall we?"
Logan turned to Rory. "You're sure you're okay getting home?"
"Of course. We'll talk later."
He nodded, but wasn't either enthused or sure how long it would be until he saw her again. He pulled at her and kissed her cheek first, then brushed his lips over hers, despite the fact his father was already making for the exit. "Please call a cab."
She smiled. "I'm a big girl, Logan. Go on," she urged. "Good luck."
He nodded and took his leave. She watched him go for a second until she couldn't stand the nagging pit in her stomach as she watched his retreat. Following him was an option, but she knew it wasn't her place. She turned to search for her bag, thinking how taking the bus back to school really wasn't what she needed that night. Being with Logan was out, but she needed someone to talk to. She pulled her cell out of her pocket and turned it on, hitting her first speed dial the second it powered up.
"Hey. Any chance you have a great desire to nip out to the airport to pick up your favorite daughter?"
-X-
"And he just left you there?" Lorelai asked over a steaming cup of coffee.
Rory nodded. "It was for the best."
"He didn't give you any indication about what he'd do or what it all meant?"
Rory shook her head slowly. "I don't know. It seemed like he wanted to stick around and keep seeing me, but it's insane to think I'm at the top of his priorities. We haven't been together long, and we haven't been really serious. He's wanted to break ties with his dad his whole life. I don't want to be the reason he's miserable, and if he stays working with his dad so it won't blowback on me in some way, that's what would happen. He doesn't owe me anything."
"Maybe it's best that things just break cleanly now. It gives you both time to clear your heads. You have a lot on your plate right now, and he has some very unenviable decisions to settle. It's harder to make decisions when emotions are running high."
"I guess. It's just hard. I want to help him," Rory admitted.
Lorelai grinned sadly at her daughter. "You really like him, huh?"
"I know it's crazy. I just didn't want our trip to end. Being back feels like of hollow."
"It'll be different when you're back in the swing of things, at school," Lorelai soothed.
"I'm sure you're right. It'll get easier. Just knowing he's off talking to his dad, not knowing what's going on," she blew out a breath. "I just needed a little distraction."
Lorelai brightened. "You've come to the right place. I'm the queen of distraction. I even have choices for you. Would you like to go to the Stars Hollow Derby race, featuring our newest miniature pony jockey, Kirk Gleason? Or I have a DVR filled with BBC's finest comedy and we could hit Luke's later for the post-derby recap gossip."
"Miniature pony jockey?" Rory repeated in disturbed awe, sealing the fate of their evening.
-X-
"Alright, Logan, let's have it."
Logan let his eyes roam around his father's office. It had been a while since he'd seen the inner sanctum, a place to which most people weren't invited. "You don't want to tell me how disappointed in me you are first? We usually open with that," Logan reminded him.
"You didn't like London?" Mitchum surmised.
"On the contrary, I had a fine time in London."
"So good that you were inclined to leave early and miss meetings?"
"I felt I'd seen enough, so we moved on."
"This isn't really all about you being lovesick and foolhardy over some girl? You want to limit yourself because of her? There are beautiful and intelligent women everywhere, surely you've noticed."
"I'm not limiting myself," Logan said with as much calm as he could muster, though it seemed to be taking all his control.
"Please don't tell me you're in love with her and how I couldn't possibly understand," Mitchum said, ending with a heavy sigh and an eye roll to match. "We're both grown men, let's call this what it is."
"I don't need to justify how I feel about Rory to you or anyone else. But if you must know, being away from her didn't gain London any points for me."
Mitchum met his son's eyes with brevity. "I need you in London."
"Then why did you run the guise of giving me this choice? Must everything be a mind game?"
"I was hoping you'd enjoy your time there and by choosing it for yourself, you'd be more attached to it," his father confided. "You've never been easy to persuade."
"Then stop trying. Let's end our business ties and do us both a favor."
"You want to walk away? Go out on your own?" Mitchum asked, surprised.
"Why not? I've yet to live up to your expectations."
"That's not true. How could you think of walking away from this business? It's in your blood. It's a part of who you are."
"Just because it's my birthright, it doesn't make it my passion."
Mitchum appeared stunned for a few seconds. "I'd go crazy doing anything else. I always assumed you felt the same way."
"You did?"
"I knew you had to grow into it, to find your own way of making it your own. It was the same for me. I admit, I often try to steer you toward your strengths, to do what I can to make it easier for you."
"You've been trying to make things easier for me?" Logan asked, unable to believe his ears.
"Why do you think I sent you to London? You love to travel, and I thought you'd enjoy working with our foreign bureaus, at least for a time, until you wanted to settle down and be more rooted, if that time ever came. I didn't foresee you being ready for that yet, I admit."
"I'm not saying I'm ready to settle down. Rory and I just started… we might," he faltered, not able to explain the state of their relationship to himself, let alone anyone else. "This isn't about her, I told you that."
"I need you there. This isn't public yet, because I'm quietly negotiating the deal, but you know times are changing. Big names are struggling to stay afloat; pieces and divisions are getting sold off, everywhere you look. Digital formats are stealing money from print and half the people out there are looking to get out with the clothes on their backs. That said, I'm acquiring a large section of Newscorp, and most of my energy in the next five years will be integrating that into our holdings. I was looking to you to take over our existing international component, so I'd have that off my plate."
Logan finally sat down, compelled by shock and awe. "You're serious?"
Mitchum nodded. "I am."
"You want to give it to me, as in you trust me and you wouldn't be looking over my shoulder at every turn?"
"I won't have time. I do trust you. I have always had every intention of handing this all over to you one day. In fact, I'll be asking your input on my end of things so we can have a more synergistic momentum."
"I had no idea."
Mitchum nodded. "So I need to know your bottom line. Are you out or is there a bargaining chip? Is it Rory? Because I can pull some strings, maybe with the BBC, get her a summer internship. She'd make a good candidate, but I can't have you working over her, for legal concerns."
"If I am out," Logan said slowly.
"Then I'd be in a hard spot. I'd find a replacement, burning myself out in the process. I don't want someone else at the helm on this, I want you."
"What about Rory?"
"What about her?"
"If I quit, what are her chances for finding work after people hear your reference of her?"
Mitchum fixed his son with a stern expression. "I am not answering such a question, given what you're insinuating. I have no doubt she'll have a fine career ahead of her, whether it's in association with me or not."
"She will. She's far better suited to it than I am."
"She's a good reporter, but her career and yours will be on different fields. You have the business skillset as well as the industry knowledge, and a better understanding of the technology that's coming down the pike that is turning us on our ear. Which is why I need you to be happy in London for a while," he said.
Logan did his best to soak it all in. "I need time. I need to think, clear my head a little. Is that okay?"
"A week in Europe with a woman like that wasn't enough?" Mitchum asked with wry amusement.
"I wasn't using her to blow off steam."
"What were you doing?"
"Trying to convince her not to write me off," he said sullenly.
"Did it work? You two looked cozy at the airport."
"I don't know. I need time away from all of it. A couple of days. I'll meet you for lunch midweek."
Mitchum stood and extended his hand. "Sounds fair."
For once Logan couldn't disagree.